1/28/10

I saw the doctor two days ago and he cancelled chemo again. It seems that my tumor markers have increased the last two times they were taken. He wants to see another CT scan to help decide if I need yet another type of chemo. On the bright side, my blood counts are good, I don't have any pain and he said my liver and spleen feel normal. Also my heart and lungs still sound good. I feel really well after missing a few rounds of infusion. I will see him again on Thursday and will know more then.

12/30/09

I saw my doctor yesterday before my scheduled chemo appointment. My blood test revealed that my red count and platelets had recovered well but my white count was so low that he cancelled chemo for yesterday. I'll try again next Tuesday. He is going to order another CT scan after the next chemo to determine how many weeks I can go between infusions. That is good news to me, one week between infusions has been to hard to recover from. He also said that my liver function has been improving each month for the last three months. Praise God, that was very good news. He also wants me to see an opthamologist because I told him that my vision has become blurry. Evidently chemo can cause cataracts. Other than that everything has been going well for all of us. We had a great Christmas and I hope everyone else did too.

12/2/2009

I had a good report on my last C.T. scan. The four largest tumors in my liver were measured and they have all shrunk by 1 cm in both directions. There are no new tumors and the spots in my lungs still remain unchanged. For right now I will stay on this chemo that is working on the slow growing cells. The doctor says if it stops working we will look again at the chemo embolization of the liver. After voicing my concerns about all the side effects that I experienced with the last round of chemo my doctor reduced the strength of the chemo and came up with some simple solutions for the other side effects. He wants my to have quality of life too. I'm looking forward to Christmas and am expecting to feel well enough to enjoy everyone and everything. I just had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my whole big family together in the first time in years. I am so blessed to have the love of family and friends and God has been so good to bless me with strength and recovery.

10/7/09

Well I didn't hear what I wanted to hear from the Emory Transplant team. They said they don't consider me a candidate because of the cancer I have being too aggressive. Their opinion is that cancer would just reappear in the new liver and being on the immunosuppressant drugs needed after transplants I wouldn't have a chance to fight it. Also chemo would be too intolerable after a transplant. In the meantime my oncologist had been communicating with the Peidmont transplant center and they came up with the same opinion. For now my doctor wants me to start a new chemo regime which will target the other type of cells (one type chemo for the slow growing cancer another for the aggressive cancer). I still covet all your prayers and I know God is with me. I have been so blessed with strength and resilience my prayer is to continue on this way.

9/11/09

I met with one of Emory's transplant doctors yesterday but once again I have much more waiting to do. He wants me to have an MRI done there to determine if all of the cancer is confined to the colon and liver. If that is the case he thinks I would be a good candidate for the transplant. Of course I now have to have that test done, be seen by one of their oncologists, and wait to have my case reviewed by their board. Hopefully they won't want more and more tests followed by more and more visits. My MRI is scheduled for October 2nd.

8/31/09

I spoke with my doctor last Monday but he didn't have much new information. He presented my case to the Tumor Board once again and they didn't think I am a good candidate for the transplant. My doctor obviously doesn't agree so he contacted Emory last week. I heard from an R.N. who said she is sending me educational materials and will have a scheduler contact me for an evaluation appointment. Other than that the doctor wants me to do one or two more rounds of chemo and an emboliztion on the left lobe of the liver. Hopefully something will happen soon with Emory. Thanks for all your concern and I hope I have good news to post soon.

Yesterday's Doctor's Appointment

It's chemo week again so I saw my doctor yesterday. He was very pleased at how much I had improved over the last three weeks. My blood counts, tumor markers, fever and pain have all gotten better. I know I feel a whole lot better. He didn't have any definite to say about the transplant, just that I will have another CT scan on the 17th that will help those doctors decide if I would qualify and therefore need to be evaluated by them. If a transplant is an option I will more than likely have to have the colon tumor removed first. So much is undetermined and there is so much waiting. My peace comes from knowing that God knows the outcome and it will be the best for me. Thanks in advance for your prayers.
Love,
Darlene